"I can do it myself, it's too tiring for you to hold my hand." Ling Shuangjiang gently patted Xie Wang's shoulder and smiled at him.
Xie Wang turned his head and said, "No need, I'll play with you today." He tightened his grip on the reins and added, "If I had known you weren't familiar with it, we should have changed to another activity to avoid making you nervous."
Ling Shuangjiang shook her head: "I'm not nervous, I like it very much."
When the staff saw the two men come out after choosing their foals, and Xie Wang seemed very familiar with them, they quietly left.
"Why don't you go ride too?" Ling Shuangjiang pointed to the big foal next to her. "You're only busy leading it for me; you can't really ride it yourself."
Xie Wang responded lazily, gazing thoughtfully at the horse stable, gently stroking the foal's mane as if to comfort it.
Suddenly, he quickly stepped on the pedals and leaped up, landing firmly behind Ling Shuangjiang, so close that there wasn't a single gap between them.
With his long, straight legs pressed against Ling Shuangjiang's calves, Xie Wang said, "I'll ride with you. The staff have all left, so no one will bother you."
Ling Shuangjiang felt a sudden heat rise up her back and tensed up, asking, "Can the little colt bear our weight?"
Xie Wang replied casually, "Yes, that's fine."
The two were significantly different in size and height. Especially when Xie Wang took the reins, his long, strong arms completely encircled Ling Shuangjiang in his embrace. As he leaned forward, his chin gently touched the top of Ling Shuangjiang's head, commanding the foal to run forward.
Xie Wang wasn't dark-skinned; his skin was a standard healthy wheat color. However, under the sunlight, the difference between his skin and Ling Shuangjiang's fair complexion was quite obvious.
The clatter of hooves echoed as Ling Shuangjiang's heart pounded, the intense heat emanating from Xie Wang making his breathing increasingly rapid.
In his twenty-two years of life, this was the first time a boy had ever held him in his arms like this.
"Is it fast or not?" Xie Wang asked in a low voice, and began to explain the riding techniques, "Hold the reins tightly on this end with two fingers, and pull hard on the other end with your thumb. If you want the horse to move forward, you need to tap the horse's belly with your calf."
Ling Shuangjiang murmured softly, "Not happy."
Xie Wang said in a low voice, "It's fine if you don't hurry. I'll take you to see the artificial lake ahead."
As the horses picked up speed, their arms, shoulders, and calves bumped against each other, and a warm, timid look rose in Ling Shuangjiang's eyes. Although he appeared calm on the surface, his heart was already rippled with emotion.
[Aww! Let's ride horses together!]
[Oh my god, I can't stand it! Why aren't they together?!]
[I got a nosebleed! The scene of Shuangjiang leaning against the fourth male lead was almost suffocating.]
[Frost is so cute! Waaaaah!]
The surrounding scenery transformed into a lakeside, where several swans swam and frolicked. Ling Shuangjiang remained nestled against Xie Wang's chest, her gaze gentle.
If Xie Wang liked a boy, he would probably try to win him over.
Xie Wang likes girls.
A forced relationship will not be sweet.
Let nature take its course.
Halfway through the game, Xie Wang noticed that Ling Shuangjiang wasn't very interested, so he asked him seriously, "Are you feeling unwell? Or do you not like riding horses?"
Ling Shuangjiang immediately put on a gentle smile: "No, I'm just a little sleepy."
Xie Wang: "Didn't you sleep well last night? But it's okay, let's go to bed early after dinner today."
Ling Shuangjiang curled her lips into a smile: "Okay."
—
After exercising all afternoon, the two were exhausted. After dinner, they took a walk to rest, and the live broadcast ended there.
Without the constraints of the camera, their conversation became more relaxed, and Ling Shuangjiang could openly call Xie Wang by his real name.
"Why did you participate in the variety show in place of your younger brother?" Ling Shuangjiang asked the question he was most curious about. "Can I tell you that?"
It was a cool evening, and Xie Wang, dressed in a long trench coat, exuded a relaxed and carefree air. After hesitating for a moment, he replied in a low voice, "My grandfather arranged a marriage for me when I was little. The other party is the grandson of his old comrade-in-arms, but I don't like boys and have always wanted to break it off. Recently, my grandfather brought it up again, and my younger brother Xie Lin, knowing that I was unwilling and that he didn't have time because he had promised to participate in this dating reality show while drinking, invited me to participate so he could go and marry my childhood sweetheart in my place."
"A childhood betrothal?" Ling Shuangjiang slowed her pace, a hint of hesitation in her expression. "Do you know the other person's name and personality?"
Xie Wang shook his head: "I don't know."
Ling Shuang lowered her voice and asked, "And then? You two exchanged them?"
Xie Wang: "Well, it's a marriage alliance between our Xie family anyway, so it doesn't matter which of us brothers goes."
Passing by a wisteria trellis, Ling Shuangjiang realized something.
Xie Wang's family lived in Bintan City, and they were also betrothed as children to his grandfather's old comrade-in-arms.
Moreover, Xie Wang's age matches that of his childhood betrothed.
Such coincidences are probably rare.
If he wasn't mistaken, Xie Wang's childhood betrothal was him.
He sat down below and chuckled, deliberately asking, "Not even going to meet them? What if you really like that person?"
Xie Wangli stood beside him and gently patted his head: "Little Frost, what are you saying? You know I like girls."
Ling Shuangjiang gave an "Oh," suppressing her inexplicable smile.
Xie Wang suddenly frowned: "Shuangjiang, do you think my behavior is scummy?"
Ling Shuangjiang raised the corner of her eye and gently shook her head: "No, you're not a scumbag."
"I just think you did a great job."
Author's Note:
I need a nutrient solution! Waaaaah!
Chapter 9 You dare touch him?
Back in her room, Ling Shuangjiang wanted to send a WeChat message to Lin Yinci to confirm the surname of her childhood betrothal partner, but due to the program's rules, she didn't have a phone and gave up the idea.
Based on the information available so far, it's almost certain that Xie Wang is his childhood sweetheart.
wrong.
It's not Xie Wang, it's Xie Lin.
Ling Shuang heated a glass of milk, held it on the balcony, and gazed into the distance, lost in thought.
It seems he and Xie Wang are truly not meant to be.
When I get home, I should tell my grandma as soon as possible to cancel this arranged marriage.
The night at the manor passed quickly. Ling Shuangjiang and Xie Wang returned to the beach and learned that two new guests were arriving that evening. Also, everyone would be traveling to a neighboring island to play games at a resort villa.
On the moving bus, Xie Wang naturally sat down next to Ling Shuangjiang and closed his eyes to rest.
Ling Shuangjiang turned her head to look at his sleeping face. After a long while, she turned her gaze back to the window.
The bus passed through the newly constructed sea tunnel and stopped in front of a huge detached villa. From the outside, one could see a swimming pool, a sports field, and flower gardens; the villa must have been quite large, with four floors.
It's more like a small estate than a villa.
At this moment, the director addressed the guests who were pulling their suitcases, saying, "Thank you to Otto for providing the production team with a private vacation home. You all have half an hour to go back to your rooms and pack your luggage. Please meet in the lobby at 6 p.m. sharp."
Wen Ai asked Qi Yu in surprise, "Is this your home?"
Chyi Yu nodded: "Yes, it's for vacation. It hasn't been used in a long time, and the production team cleaned it for three days."
Wen Nuan smiled warmly: "Very beautiful."
The fact that Chyi Yu is the billionaire is almost universally accepted, not only by the guests but also by the audience. So, they weren't too surprised to learn that the villa was registered under Chyi Yu's name.
Before entering the villa, Wen Nuan turned around and looked at the group of buildings not far away, muttering to herself, "The buildings across the way have a unified style, giving off a European castle vibe."
Chyi Yu said gently, "Three years ago, the property across the street was acquired by investors who planned to develop it into a private resort."
Wen Ai exclaimed, "A private resort? Looks like a wealthy tycoon."
While choosing rooms on the second floor, Xie Wang followed Ling Shuangjiang and asked, "Which room would you like to stay in?"
Ling Shuangjiang randomly picked one: "This one."
Xie Wang nodded, pulled his luggage to a room next door, and said, "I'll stay here. Call me if you need anything tonight, and I'll be there in time."
Ling Shuangjiang smiled faintly at Xie Wang's thoughtfulness and said, "Okay."
Soon, all the guests gathered downstairs, and the two new guests also unveiled their identities.
The sixth male character, a third-tier celebrity, is Cheng Jia.
Fourth female character, Chen Ying, a film academy student.
When Chen Ying stood up to introduce herself, almost all the male guests present couldn't take their eyes off her.
She was a stunning beauty, with long, flowing, jet-black hair reaching her waist, fair skin, a gentle demeanor, and a scholarly air.
[I know Cheng Jia. She's notoriously bad at emotional intelligence. She was mercilessly criticized during the last reality show recording.]
[Cheng Jia actually dares to participate in a reality show? His manager is really daring.]
[This ordinary young lady has a gentle and refined temperament, reminiscent of a well-bred lady from a prominent family in Jiangnan.]
[Am I the only one who thinks he has a similar temperament to Shuangjiang? That gentle, calming feeling you get from just one glance.]
[Que Shi, but Shuang Jiang is even prettier, hehe.]
At this dinner party, Chyi Yu was practically a hostess. She took the initiative to pick up her glass and said to everyone, "I'm very lucky that the production team used my villa. I hope everyone has a great time tonight."
She smiled sweetly and said, "Of course."
During the meal, everyone started chatting, and someone brought up the topic of ideal types. After the two new guests finished speaking, Chyi Yu joked with Xie Wang, "What type does Lou like?"
Ling Shuangjiang took a small bite of the onion, secretly observing Xie Wang's answer.
After thinking for a moment, Xie Wang put down his knife and fork and looked directly at him: "I like girls who are gentle, fair-skinned, have long hair down to their waist, and have big eyes."
Chyi Yu smiled and said, "Isn't this just something guys all do?"
Before he could finish speaking, Shen Ke interjected, "From your description, she sounds a lot like Chen Ying."
Shen Ke's words drew everyone's attention to Chen Ying, causing Chen Ying to blush immediately.
Joey laughed, "It seems like every single one of them matches up."
“Really?” Wen Ai looked Chen Ying and Xie Wang up and down. “The production team found the guests for you based on your ideal type, right?”